Crownless

Chapter 12

The blast from the explosion blew me miles away, past the glimmer and into the water. I felt the flames vanish, as I began to lose consciousness. I felt warm hands shake me awake, as I gasped for air, spitting up the excess water in my lungs. Beautiful brown eyes met mine, as I sat up chest and throat on fire. "Your majesty." The woman bowed. I grabbed her shoulder and motioned for her to get up.

I shot her confusing look. "How do you know who I am?" I demanded hoarsely. I took in my surroundings, I was alone with the woman with the afro and caramel eyes.

She smiled and replied. "I escaped beyond the glimmer to take care of my family, I knew today wouldn't end well so we decided to see if anyone would wash up, and we discovered you." She grabbed my face. "What happened?" Her expression softened.

"Everyone's dead." I choked back the tears. Her eyes went wide as she gasped. She wrapped her lanky arms around me, not minding that my clothes were soaking. She rocked me until my sobs subsided. I murmured a thank you as I forced my self to quit weeping.

"Let's get you tidied up." She took my hand. She led me to the bath, allowing me to wash my body. Images flashing before my eyes. Tyson. Mother. Trystan. Father. Leo. My chest burned as I thought of their faces. I borrowed some clothes from the woman and joined her and her family outside.

The kind woman helped me with my travels and gave me some silver. I thanked her for her kindness and headed off. I made myself comfortable in the carriage, trying to forget what happened. I feared for what would come of me now that I'm no longer a Queen. Tears threatened to spill from my eyes but I held them back. I have to blend in.

I will have my revenge.

"My lady, we are here." The driver's kind voice snapped me out of my thoughts. I took his hand and climbed out of the carriage. He took my bags up the stairs to the nice house of the couple that the woman sent me to. She told me her name, but I was in shock so everytime I needed her I would call her woman. I know, RUDE. I mentally slapped myself for not remembering her name. I nervously walked to the door and knocked politely. I bit my lip tapping my feet against the ground.

"You must be Audrey!" A short dark skin woman welcomed with me a smile. "Terra said you'd be coming, come on in child." She took my hand, dragging me in. Terra was her name. I smiled because it fit her. "My name is Cora." She took my bags in the door.

"Thank you so much for letting me share your home." I smiled. She waved her hand at me.

"It is my pleasure." She grinned and showed me to my room. It wasn't extravagant but it would do. Its plain decoration wasn't exactly royal, but it was a place to stay. I plopped on the hard bed, realizing I'm exhausted from the travel. I closed my eyes, slowly letting sleep consume me.

I opened my eyes to see that I was looking over my body again.

"COME!" The sun's voice roared through the sky.

My body began levitating towards the sky, landing on the same cloud as last time. "You failed me." She looked at me with rage in her eyes. "You couldn't protect your people, you couldn't protect Icarus, what are you useful for?" She rolled her eyes, crossing her arms.

I huffed. "Says the thing that sits in the sky and melts things." I retorted. She crooked one eyebrow up at me, clearly entertained.

"I've never disliked a human as much as I do you, but I must admit you are amusing." She twirled her hair. "How's immortal life for you?" She smirked.

"Piss off." I crossed my arms, clearly over the conversation.

"That's no way to speak to me, I granted you life when that boy turned you into a human shish kabob." She chuckled. I rolled my eyes at her corniness.

"I want revenge on that witch." I spat, making eye contact with her. She shot me a look as if saying you're insane.

"She's dead remember, you melted her body." She huffed.

"Obviously, but her children are alive and well, I need your help, tracking them down." I sat up, showing her I meant business. "I want her descendants to die out, I want to destroy everything she held dear." My voice shook with madness.

"Ooh, vengeance suits you." She giggled clapping her hands. "Deal, I will help you with your little plan.'' She looked down at me, a grim look on her face. " Just so you know karma is a bitch."

"Karma's got nothing on me."

I gasped awake only to see Cora staring at me. "Child, you frightened me to death!" Her brown eyes filled with concern. "You started talking in your sleep." She crooked her eyebrow. I sat up, wiping the sweat off my forehead.

"My apologies, I had a nightmare." I lied. She nodded and told me to come to eat. I agreed and ran cold water on my face. I looked in the mirror and was startled at my appearance. I had a bruise on my right cheek, a busted lip, bruises on my sides and back. Immortality meant just not having the ability to die and It was highly inconvenient. I sucked a sharp breath at the bruises on my hip. I made my way into the dining area to eat.

I made up a story of who I was and why I needed a place to stay. I helped to the best of my ability and began working at a seamstress shop. I tried to save enough money to get my own land then decided against it, as I will need to leave no money trails behind for when I find the witch's descendants. I bribed a sketch artist and had a sketch made of the witches face, and showed it to the townspeople. It was months before I got a hit on where her home resided.

I packed up my things and headed to the house the man at the bakery gave me directions to. It was deep within the woods, lush green trees stood tall as if they were guards for something evil. I finally stumbled upon the private home, looking very worn down and abandoned. A young boy around the age of nine carried a sack of food into the home. The smell of bread filled the air, appearing as if they were baking bread. I hid in the bush, as I saw another young man, no older than fifteen, riding a black stallion. He tied the horse and greeted his brother. I straightened my appearance, trying to collect myself.

I knocked on the wooden door, hearing feet pattering about. I crossed my arms and waited for someone to answer the door. The fifteen-year-old opened the door with a confused look spread amongst his face. "Hello, is your mother home?" I sweetly questioned.

He shot another skeptical look. His dark eyes narrowed as his instincts grew before my eyes. "She isn't home at the moment, I could tell her that you're looking for her." He answered irritated. Anger rose in me, as the images flashed in mine of my families death. I shook with rage, as I pushed my way inside. The boy shrunk back in fear and confusion. I drew my blade.

"Do as I say." I commanded. "Gather your siblings before me, and if you try to hide them, or if you try to hide I'll you hunt you down and make you die a slow and miserable death." I seethed. He nervously nodded, as he ran to the back of the house, and lined up his siblings. Seven of them stood shaking and crying in fear. My heart ached just for a second until I remembered, she had no trouble slaughtering my young. "State your ages." I requested.

They all said different ages, five to fifteen stood before me. Tears and snot filled their faces, as I took them in. ''You," I pointed at the boy who answered the door. "Do you love your family?" I asked crossing my arms, sizing him up.

"With my life." He nodded. I smiled. I made my way towards the startled boy. I grabbed his face, making him flinch. You could cut the tension with a knife, the air filled with desperation and anger.

"Perfect answer." I thrust my knife into chest. I watched the life fade in his eyes, the cries of his siblings filling the stale air. Blood filled his teeth as he gurgled. His body fell with a loud thump, causing his siblings to let out a blood curdling scream. I turned to see the angry and traumatized children. Maybe I'm crazy? Maybe the human in me died with my people? Just maybe I don't care anymore, and maybe I like it. "I'll see you soon." I promised the children with a smile, as I left the lifeless body in a pool of blood. I stole the horse and headed far away from the scene.

I rushed to Cora's and began packing all of my things and fled from Greece. Where I'll go from there is a mystery, but revenge is a tricky illness, one I'm afraid I'll never be healed from. I headed north and didn't stop until I grew tired. I rested at a hotel in the middle of nowhere. One down six more to go.